Method of manufacturing nickel and nickel-copper alloys.



BEST

; lfAIML-SIJE; GQPY UNITED STATEb PATENT @FFICE.

DAVID HENRY BROWNE, OF COPPER CLIFF, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE CANADIAN COPPER COMPANY, or

CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING NICKEL AND NICKEL-COPPER ALLOYS.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAvin HENRY BRowNn,

of Copper Clifi, Ontario, Canada, have in.-

vcnted a l ethod of Manufacturing Nickel and Nickel-Copper Alloys, of which the following is a specification.

In the manufacture of copper it has been common heretofore" to metallic state by bessemerizing,'fwhich consists of blowing air through. molten copper matte, which is a sulfid of copper. It is Well known that nickel and alloys of copper and nickel cannot be produced in this man ner, because the oxids and sulfids of nickel do not interact as in the case of oxids and sulfids of copper, so that in the manufacture of nickel and copper nickel alloys it has been the practice to produce matte in the form of sulfids, then to roast the sulfids to bring them to the state of oxids, then to reduce the oxids with carbon to the condition of spongy metal and to melt such sponge into the form of ingots.

The purpose of my invention is to dis pense with such roasting process and to 1 0, duce nickel and copper nickel alloys directly from the sulfid mattel I proceed as follows:

I take the matte, which consists of sulfide of I "powdered car cent. of the matte.

nickel or nickel and copper produced in the usual manner in a cupola furnace, a Bessemer converter or a reverberatory nace so that it will be free to the desired extent from iron, and I .place such matte in an electric furnace, preferably an arc furnace, Where I subject it to the action of lime. The

matte may be introduced into the furnace in aliquid condition as it is taken from't-he furnace in which it is made; or. I may take the solid matte, crush it, and after mixing it With lime orlime stone introduce it in solid condition into the electric furnace. When the matte which is introduced into the electric furnace is heated and is brought into I a molten condition at a high temperature a reaction occurs between the lime and the sulfur contained in the matte so lime combines With the sulfur and becomes sulfid of calcium, leaving the metal free from sulfur. The reaction which takes place is illustrated by the following formula:

Specification of Letters Patent.

produce copper. in a smelting furthe the I Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

Application filed February 11, 1909. Serial No. 477,449.

I may add the lime in the furnace all together at the beginning of the operation, -or it may be introduced continuously or intermittently. The lime sulfid, being lighter than the metal, Will float on the surface as a slag, which may be removed from time to time as desired. 4 I

The slag may be thinned bythe introduction of common salt, fiuorspar, easily fusible neutral. flux which will facilitate the removal of the slag, and I may also introduce with the charge powered carbon which. will effect saving in the waste of the carbon electrodes employed in forming the are, but otherwise does not 'ilecessarily take part in the chemical reactions in the furnace.

The principle of my invention is the useful application of the discovery that ata high temperature and under reducing .conditions the lime will combine with the sulfur "of the molten matte, forming sulfid of lime the metal free from sulfur. I

and leavin have foun it-suitable in the practice of my or any other lnvent-ion in treating matte containing 22 percent. 'ofvcopper, 58 per cent. of nickel, .5 per cent. of iron, and 28 per cent. of sulfur, to add to the charge in the electric furnace an equal weight of lime, and if desired,

on to the It is desirable that a surplus of lime should be employed over and above that which is amount of '5 pertheoretically needed to combine with the Sui-" fur in the matte.

I claim as my invention:

An improvement in the manufacture of nickel or nickel alloys which consists in subjecting sulfur compounds of such metal or metals to fusion with electric heat in the presence of lime, causing thereby the combination of sulfur with lime as-sulfid of calcium, the evolution of sulfur dioxid and the production of nickel or nickel alloy.

In testimony Whereof,I have hereunto set my hand.

DAVID HENRY BROWNE.

'll'itnesses JOHN GRIBBLE, E. C. LAMBERT. 

